Level of education and marital distress in Ghanaian married couples

Abstract

This study set out to examine how much distress men and women experience in their marital relationships, and whether or not education level is associated with marital distress. This was done by using the Marital Happiness Scale, and a questionnaire that measured demographic characteristics, as measuring instruments. Four research questions were formulated and four hypotheses were tested. They covered the differences that exist in the marital distress experiences among husbands and wives, and differences in education and their impact on marital distress. A total of eighty (80) married men and women comprising 40 husbands and 40 wives were conveniently and purposively selected to take part in the study. Descriptive statistics and t- Tests were used to analyse the data to bring out differences and to determine associations among variables. The findings showed that many persons who said they experienced distress in their marital relationships also tested distressed on a scale of marital distress; that among this population, wives tested more distressed than husbands in marriages. There were no significant differences between husbands and wives of low education and those of high education in their distress. Those with high education were not less distressed than those with low education. Marital distress is not a respecter of level of education. Suggestions were made for future research to consider other factors that account for distress in Ghanaian marriages other than education status.